Bisping and Stann head into a vital middleweight encounter on September 22, with the winner propelling himself towards a title shot. For Bisping, a shot at Anderson Silva would be the culmination of over a decade's hard work.

The Brit has been asked in the build-up to the event, which is headlined by Jon Jones v Vitor Belfort, if he is concerned by Stann's link to coach Jackson. However, Bisping is largely unimpressed by Jackson and questioned whether the pair were actually working together for the fight.

"From what I understand, Stann isn't training with Jackson anymore," Bisping told Yahoo! Sports. "But who the hell cares either way? Come on, guys. Just because Stann trained with some smug git from New Mexico who can quote the Ninja Turtles, doesn't mean he's got some mystical insight to beat me.

"Listen, Greg Jackson has a smug grin on his face when his gameplans go well, but when they go tits up he's not there going: "Well, blame me, folks. The fighter just followed my stupid ideas."

Turning his attention to Stann, Bisping once again picked holes in the American's overall game. Bisping had previously said Stann "looked like a jiu-jitsu white belt" against Chael Sonnen, and he doubted his rival's title credentials again on Tuesday.

"Brian Stann isn't a fighter who can follow through with a sophisticated strategy. I mean this with all due respect for a guy who is clearly a powerful athlete, a determined guy and who hits like a truck but Stann is not a massively talented fighter.

"I know what he's going to do. He is going to throw a leg kick - like he always does - and try to take my head off with a right hand. And, hey, Stann can do it; I have a good chin but Stann can knock anyone in the division out with his power.

"But that's not going to happen. A stupid mistake aside, I mince Brian Stann's arse like burger meat nine times out of 10. I've not seen too much evolution in his game. He's the same guy, someone who will always be dangerous but isn't a top talent in the division and never will be.

"Stann has talked big about how he's going to put me to sleep. Well, that's a fact. I can't avoid it. None of us can. Brian is going to tell some more deathly boring old war stories at the pre-fight press conference, and we are all going to be in for a snooze.

"I was kicking arse in the UFC when Stann was peeling potatoes, shining shoes and getting called a "maggot" by some red-faced sergeant in the Marines. This isn't warfare, this is MMA, and I'm better at it than Brian Stann will ever be. On September 22, Brian Stann is getting knocked out - fast. He won't last as long as a virgin on prom night."

After enduring a tricky start to his Manchester United career, perhaps it is fair that Marcos Rojo celebrated so boisterously as he watched his first professional club Estudiantes beat fierce rivals Gimnasia